Euphorbia pulcherrima. 
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Eckalvertaxe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Jester Jingle, not patented. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within a population of plants of the cultivar Jester Jingle on or about Dec. 1, 1999 in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its flower bract coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings taken at Encinitas, Calif., since December, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Eckalvertaxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Eckalvertaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Large inflorescences with upright and enlongated dark red-colored flower bracts and short flower bract petioles.
2. Dark green-colored leaves with short red-colored petioles.
3. Uniform and mounded plant habit.
4. Early flowering, natural season flower maturity date is November 26 for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; response time, about 8.5 weeks.
5. Good post-production longevity.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Jester Jingle. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Jester Jingle in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were not as freely branching as plants of the cultivar Jester Jingle.
2. Leaf petioles of plants of the new Poinsettia were darker red than leaf petioles of plants of the cultivar Jester Jingle.
3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Poinsettia had dark red- colored flower bracts whereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Jester Jingle had dark red-colored flower bracts with random pink flecks.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar 490, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of the cultivar 490 in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Poinsettia were more upright and undulate than leaves of the cultivar 490.
2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had smaller flower bracts than plants of the cultivar 490.
3. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia were more upright than flower bracts of the cultivar 490.